Seminar: Functional plasticity in microbiota-host interactions

Abstract: In recent years, there has been a scientific awakening to the impact of the gut microbiota on host physiology. While many studies focused on bacterial taxonomy, it has become clear that the gut microbiota encompasses a myriad of functions with potential benefits to human health. In our studies we combine computational and experimental approaches to study host-related environmental factors that dynamically affect bacterial functionality. While the gut microbiota resides in an everchanging environment, we recently identified dynamic and reversible alterations in the functions of the gut microbiome in response to both host physiology, and diet, and characterized their implications to the host immune system and health.